FORMER Blackburn College principal Dr Jacob Rose has died, aged 90.

Dr Rose, known as Jack, died suddenly of pneumonia at North Manchester General Hospital.

World War Two veteran Dr Rose was principal of Blackburn College of Technology from 1964 to 1982, during which time he developed the college by establishing its management centre, and also setting up the first college computer facility in the country.

Dr Rose, a father of three, was also president of Blackburn Chamber of Commerce for a number of years.

He and his wife Fay moved to Lytham St Anne's after he retired in 1982, but Dr Rose continued to be active as a consultant to industry.

He was research director of Dainichi-Sykes Ltd robotics firm, and was appointed research professor of robotics at the University of Salford and the University of Central Lanca-shire.

He also continued editing journals until last year. His wife died in 2003.

His younger son John Rose, 59, who lives with his wife Judith in Wolverhampton, said he would be remembered for his wisdom, kindness, sense of ethics, generosity, and love of family.

Mr Rose said: "I'll remember my father for his sense of humour, and his love of life."

Renee Black, who was Dr Rose's secretary at Blackburn College for 18 years, said: "I'm very sad that he is gone. He did more for the college than anyone I have ever known, and we kept in regular touch after he retired, he was a good friend."

Dr Rose was born in Poland and studied medicine in France before the war, and after fighting in France and Italy, moved to the UK and resumed his scientific career to earn an MSc and PhD in chemistry, becoming a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and a Fellow of the British Institute of Management.

He began his career in the steel industry and moved on to work in the UK Atomic Energy Authority where he devised new metallurgical methods relating to nuclear chemistry.

He left the private sector to start in education, first as a chemistry and computer science lecturer, then as an administrator, before joining Blackburn College.

He was founder and editor of seven international journals, and the author or editor of more than 50 books on chemistry, cybernetics, automation, biomedical computing, environmental issues, and medical biotechnology.

Dr Rose was the last of his generation, after his parents, sister and younger brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were nearly all killed in the Holocaust. Only three cousins survived.

He leaves sons John and Paul, 64, daughter Frances, 58, seven grandchildren, Alexander, Olivia, Zoe, and Ariel Rose, Michael and Jessica Rose, and Katherine Rickus, and great-grandchildren Benjamin, Daniel and Keelan Rose.